About this guide

Ensuring healthy, eco-friendly seafood is our top goal

The Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) Seafood Selector stands apart from other seafood guides because we work with troubled fisheries to improve management and conservation, which can improve their ratings over the long run. Learn more about our work with fisheries.

The guide covers the kinds of fish and shellfish you are most likely to see in your local supermarket or restaurant.

How we determine the eco-ratings

Our scientists analyze many aspects of wild fisheries and fish farming operations for more than 200 types of seafood frequently sold in the U.S. market. (For details, see our eco-rating methodology.)

Fish choices on the Seafood Selector are categorized three ways:

Eco-Best Choices include fish from healthy, well-managed populations, and the fishing or farming methods used to catch or raise the fish cause little harm to the environment.

Eco-OK Choices have improvments to make in how they are managed, the health of their habitat, or how they are caught or farmed.

Eco-Worst Choices are overfished or caught or farmed in ways that do considerable harm to the environment.

As fishing and farming practices change over time and information becomes available, we re-evaluate our rankings. We collaborate with the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch Program on our recommendations to ensure that we provide consistent advice to consumers.

We rely on rigorously reviewed science

Low-contaminant fish are an important part of a healthy diet, and EDF encourages people to consume fish that are caught or farmed in an environmentally responsible manner. Our scientists collect the latest information on omega-3s and mercury in seafood to provide the best recommendations possible.

What our guide doesn’t cover

Our guide only applies to seafood that is caught and sold commercially, in stores and restaurants. We do not include recommendations for recreational or sport fish. For more information on local fishing advisories and regulations, visit the EPA's National Listing of Fish Advisories.